Multitank cradle



May 1, 1923. 1,453,474

v MAURAN I MULTITANK ,CRADLE Filed Sept 22, 1921 y IIIVVENZORWard/9111022 I P M UMA ATTORNEYS Patent May 1, $23.

max macaw, or NIAGARA rants, N.

worms, me, or NEW YORK, 1v.

Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE MATHIESON A LKALIA Y., A ('JORIE'OIFA'I'ION OFVIRGINIA.

MULTITANK CRADLE.

Application filed September 2 2, 1921. Serial No. 502,529.

' cradle adapted for use with the usual type of railway fiat car. 7

Cars especially designed for the carriage of tanks such'as are used inthe transportation of chlorine and the like may be provided with builtin cradles forming a per- .manent part of the car.

Such cars are entirely satisfactory, and

' are economic in operation, when shipments are made at intervals,recurring with substantial regularity, and in car-load lots. When,however, the shipments are at uncertain periods, the cars are not alwaysavailable, and if the shipments are delayed for any reason, the cars,which are suitable for the transportation of a particular character ofgoods only, will be idle. Furthermore, when shipments must be made ofless than carload lots, the full capacity of the car cannot be utilized,since the portion of the car notoccupied by the tanks is not ble ofutilization for other freight. Since the cradles in this type of car arebuiltin, and form a permanent part of the car, they are not adapted foremergency use with existing cars, nor for application to suchcarswithout material changes in the car.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cradle, adapted tobe mounted on the usual type of car, either permanently or temporarily,to fit the car tocarry a full or partial load of tanks, and withoutmaterial change in the car itself.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan "view of the 1mproved cradle,

Figure 2 is a side view, Figure 3 is a sectional the clamping mechanism,

Figure 4 is a similar view at right angles to-Figure 3,

detail of. apart of c re-- of the bands.

each bolt above the washer, and it will be Figure 5 isa partial end viewshowing an alternate form of clamping mechanism,

Figure 6 is a partial side view of a car with a cradle in lace. In thee'mbo iment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4, the improvedcradlecomprises a pair of similarbeams 1, of angle material in the-presentinstance, ar ranged in spaced parallel relation, and rigidly connectedtogether, b means of crossbars 2, and crossbraces 3. 1e bars 2 arearranged at the ends of the beams, and the braces are arranged in Xshape intermediate the ends. Thus there is provided a rigid frameworkfor supporting the nks, and capable of being mounted upon a car. Theupper edges of depressed seats 4, shaped to fit the periphery of a tank5, of the character which they are designed to support, and the seats ofonebeam register with those of the other, as clearly shown in Figure 1.At each seat,

the beams 1 are formed into each beam has an' inwardly extending flangeas shown, curved on the same are as the seat, to strengthen andrelnforce the mate- 'rial of the beam.

Suitable means s provided for clamping the tanks to the seats. In Figure1 the'said means is in the form 'ofba'nds 6 which are curvedlongitudinally to fit the peripheries of the tanks which they aredesigned to engage, and at'each end each band has an upwardly bent lug 7for a purpose to be presently described. The bands are of a lengthsubstantially equal to one-third the perimeter of the tank, and theadjacent endsof the bands at each side are connected to the cradle by.

means of a bolt 8. Each of these bolts passes through a portion of thebeam between two adjacentseats, and upwardly between the seats as shownin Figure 2. Awasher 9 is arranged on eachbolt, above the ends of thebands 6, and each washer has depressions I 10 in itsunderside, atopposite sldes of the washer A nut 11 is threaded on to which the adjaoent ends of the adjacent bands are hinged- The bolts 7 8 have theirheads for receiving the upturned lugs 7 do\vnwardly,while with the bolts12 the cross-head 13 of the bolt is the head, and the nuts 15corresponding to the nuts 11 of the bolts 18 are below the portion ofthe beam through which the bolt passes. The improved cradle sections maybe of any desired length, for containing any desired number of tanks. Inthe present instance the sections are of a length to support four tanks.

Referring to figure 1, it' will be seen that the tanks are of greaterlength than the width of the framework of the cradle, so that the ends.of the tanks extend beyond the frame ateach' side thereof. I

If desired, the alternate form of clamping arrangement shown in Figure 5may be used. This clamp comprises chain sections 16 and 17. Each chainsection has at oncend an eye bolt 18 en aging a portion of the frame ofthe cradle indicated at 19, and the free ends of the chains areconnected by a hook lever 20. This lever is pivoted to the free end ofthe, chain 16, and the hook engages the free end of the chain 17. Asuitable clamp 21 is provided for holding the lever extendingsubstantially parallel with the link to which it is pivoted, when thechains are connected. It will be understood that'a pair of chains isprovided for each end of each tank. The two chainsof each pair areconnected by engaging the'hook of the lever 20 with the last link of thechain 17, the lever being swung far enough to the left of Figure 5 topermit such engagement. The lever 1s then swung to the r ght and engagedwith p the clamp 21.

In Figure 6 there is shown a flat car 22, with cradle in place. lit willbe understood that the cradle sections may be of any desired length,preferably of such length that a multiple of the sections will fill acar. The

sections may be anchoredto the car in any suitable manner, and for thispurpose openings 23 are provided in the beams l, for engagement bybolts, rivets or the like. The full capacity of the car may be utilizedwith this t pe of cradle, or only a part, as may be foun' advisable.Either of the clamping mechanisms may be used for clamping the tanks tothe cradle.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a' cradle whichmay readily be mounted, either permanently or temporarily,

upon the usual type of car. This cradle is in itself readily portableand forms a convenient unit with attached tanks for-handling purposes.Material change in the car is unnecessary. This cradle can be readily attached or detached and is adapted to be loaded upon a car or removed"therefrom with its full load of tanks in place. ll claim:

1. A cradle of the class described, comprising a unitary frame adaptedto be mounted on a car, and provided with a se- 3. A cradle of the classdescribed, comprising rigidly connected laterally spaced beams having intheir upper edges registering depressions forming seats for receivingtanks, and means at each seat for engaging the adjacent end of a tankseated in the seat for clamping said tank to the seat.

4. A cradle of the class described, 001 prising, a unitary frame adaptedto be mounted on a car and provided With a plurality of substantiallyparallel seats and means in connection with the frame for engaging eachend of tanks in the seats to clamp them on the seats. I

5. A device of the class described, comprising a unitary frame adaptedto be mounted on a car and provided with a series of parallel seats,substantially cylindrical tanks or containers in the seats and means forclamping the tanks to the seats.

6. In combination with a car having a floor or platform, a unitary framemounted on the platform and having its on upper side a series of reistering depressions forming parallel seats or receiving tanks, andmeans for clamping the'tanks on the seats.

7. In combination with car having a floor or platform, a unitary frameon the platform, and having on its upper side a series of registeringdepressions forming parallel seats for receivi. cg tanks, means forclampingthe tanks on the seats, and means to clamp the frame on theplatform.

lln testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MAX MAURAN.

